St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-18
A CURSE RESTS UPON HIM.
An Iowa Mans AffiictiOn---A
Three-Legged Lamb, a One
cared Colt, Three-Horned
a~6 IN Row

An Iowa Mans AffiictiOn---A
Three-Legged Lamb, a One
cared Colt, Three-Horned
Calf and a One-Legged Boy.
The old adage that lightning never
strikes twice in the same place. is at
last disprOved. providing the story of a
farm labOrer named George Evans, who
for the past week has been staying at
the st. James hotel in Omaha, is true.
Evans bears the reputation of honesty,
and while his tale is strange one, there
is no reason to doubt its possibility.
Evans stated that for the past three
years he has been employed by James
Q. Stevenson, a well TODD farmer living
in Iowa, about seventeen miles south of
Council Bluffs. During that time ma
ture has dealt unkindly with his former
employer and the rules of generation
have been most culpably disObeyed, in
asmuch as no less than four freaks and
possible candidates for dime museum
fame have first drawn breath on his
farm.
During the spring of 1885 a lamb was
born having only three legs. 1t was a
healthy animal and Straightway became
a great favOrite with Mr.. StevenSOn's
children and was given the exalted po-
sition of the family pet by unanimous
consent. The animal, now full-grOwn
sheep, hobbies around on his two front
feet and one hind leg in state of per-
petual enjoyment. Even his wool, up
to the present time, has been considered
sacred and he will not be Sheared until
he is three years of age.
During the following summer gray
mare was delivered of foal, well formed
with the exception that nature had for
gotten TO supply her with more than one
ear. The hide on the right side of the
head was as smoothly drawn as on the
body and there was no hole to even
mark the spot where the ear should be.
While this coincidence was the subject
of considerable remark in the neighbOr-
hood, nothing in particular evolved from
it except the giving of nickname to
Mr.. Stevenson, who to this day is known
by the soubriquet of "One-limbed
Steve,'
But the SuperStitiouSly inclined in the
neighboThOod found renewed cause dur
ing the following fall for announcing
their belief that curse rested upon the
house of Stevenson. This new fire
brand which caused the idiOtic wisdom
of believers in things supernatural to
loudly explode and added many new
converts to their ranks, was the birth
of calf during the spring of the pres
ent year which shortly after developed
into freak of the first magnitude by
the discovery that it had three distinct
horns. The third horn was exactly in
the middle of the forehead and grew
just below the eyes.
After time the gossip subsidized, but
new impetus was given to scandal
mOngers eight weeks ago, to continue
them in their previous opinions and
openly expressed belief in the interior
ence of supernatural powers to cause
their neighbOr humiliation and suffer
ing. This event was nothing more nor
less than the birth of male infant,
having but one leg. The child lived but
a few hours and was buried Oh the farm.
The tongues of the gOSsipS wagged fu-
riOuSly, and il was even intlmated that
Mr.. Stevenson was receiving punish
ment at the hands of God for crimes
committed in the past.
Finally one old tea-table gossip felt
herself called upon to inform Sister
Stevenson" that a curse rested upon the
home of her husband, and so worked
upon the fears of the lady, who was in a
most delicate state of health, as to cause
temporary insanity, during which she
made piteous appeals to her husband to
confess his crimes and appeal to mis-
heavenly Father for forgiveness.
Two weeks ago Mrs. Stevenson again